Fernando Alonso happy to take credit for McLaren's F1 resurgence

Aston Martin driver jokes that he has earned cut of team principal Andrea Stella’s bonus for bringing him to British outfit back in 2015

Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso finished ninth in this season's drivers' championship with 70 points. AFP

Fernando Alonso joked that he expects a cut from McLaren team principal Andrea Stella’s bonus due to the fact the Spaniard was the main reason Stella joined the Woking outfit back in 2015.

An impressive 2024 campaign for McLaren ended with them securing their first Formula One constructors’ title since 1998.

Lando Norris triumphed at the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to make it six race wins for McLaren this season – four via the 24-year-old Brit and two courtesy of teammate Oscar Piastri.

Aston Martin’s Alonso, who spent five seasons at McLaren in 2007 and again from 2015 to 2018, described their title-winning efforts this year as “fantastic” and was happy to see some of his old friends on the grid enjoy success.

Stella was Alonso’s race engineer at Ferrari from 2010 to 2014 before they both moved to McLaren, where the Italian began as head of race operations and took on different roles until he became team principal ahead of the 2023 season.

“Zak [Brown, McLaren CEO] is a really good friend of mine. We will spend some days together now, in the next few weeks. We will have some fun track days; we rented a track actually,” revealed Alonso after the race at Yas Marina Circuit on Sunday.

Andrea Stella talks to Fernando Alonso when the pair worked together at McLaren in 2015. EPA

“I’m a really good friend of Andrea. In a way I brought him to McLaren when I joined McLaren.

“I told him before the race, what Abu Dhabi took from our hands in 2010, hopefully today it gives something back to you, and it did. I’m happy for him, he deserves it, he’s a very clever guy. McLaren is an example for many things.”

When a reporter asked Alonso if he was taking credit for McLaren’s title run, the Spaniard quipped: “Yes, I should be part of his [Stella’s] bonus.”

Alonso renewed his commitment to Aston Martin by signing a long-term contract earlier this year, which should keep him racing for the Silverstone-based team through 2026, and potentially take on other roles there in the future.

A standout 2023 saw Alonso achieve eight podiums with Aston Martin. But the team didn’t trend in the right direction this year, and despite retaining P5 in the constructors’ championship, neither Alonso, nor his teammate Lance Stroll, managed to finish higher than fifth at any of the 24 races.

Still, the two-time world champion is excited about what is to come with Aston Martin, where new personnel will be joining, a state-of-the-art facility has been built at Silverstone, and a new power unit partnership has been signed with Honda starting 2026.

The winners' podium, from left, Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, McLaren driver Lando Norris, McLaren CEO Zak Brown and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc. All pictures by Chris Whiteoak / The National

McLaren driver Lando Norris wins the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown lifts the constructors' trophy in the F1 at Yas Marina Circuit after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The drivers line up for the race at Yas Marina Circuit.

Action on the track at the Abu Dhabi GP.

Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton and Kick Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas during the drivers' parade.

Amna Al Qubaisi competes in the F1 Academy race at Yas Marina Circuit.

Mercedes driver George Russell arrives at the Yas Marina Circuit.

Hamda Al Qubaisi competes in the F1 Academy race.

Fans watch the racing at Yas Marina Circuit.

French-Algerian driver Isack Hadjar during the Formula 2 race at Yas Marina Circuit.

Fans watch the racing at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Isack Hadjar in the Formula 2 race.

Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell take part in a pre-race photo call at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Drivers line up for a pre-race photo at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Fans watch the racing at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Mercedes driver George Russell fist bumps Williams driver Franco Colapinto.

Drivers take part in a photo on the track at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

McLaren driver Lando Norris chats with Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen.

Red Bull Racing driver Sergio Perez.

Fans watch the racing at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

“I think the new factory now is completed, also the new wind tunnel is going to be open soon. Andy Cowell [Group CEO at Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team], did change some of the weaknesses he found in the team. We have trust in the new management and things are moving in the right direction. So I’m happy for that,” said the 43-year-old Alonso.

“But in Formula One, there are not many miracles, you need to be patient, you need to find that sweet spot in the car, you need to find that upgrade that really awakes everything in these ground-effect cars, as McLaren proved last year.

“They started last and then won races in the midseason and we need to learn from them. It’s a good example of how things can be done and we will try to reset this winter and come back stronger.”

Alonso added: “McLaren did not do much in 2023 until Austria [early July], where they were on the podium. In Austria they introduced a package where they gained six, seven 10ths or whatever and that was the beginning of a series of packages that put the car as the fastest eventually.

“That ‘Austria package’, if we’re going to call it that, this is something that we need to work on.”

After walking away empty-handed through a four-race run from Austin to Las Vegas, Alonso was happy to score points in the last two stops of the 2024 season, finishing seventh in Qatar and ninth in Abu Dhabi.

He says the winter break will be the perfect time for the team to “reset” and “learn from all the difficulties and mistakes of this year”.

At 43, Alonso insists his motivation is still high, especially entering this next phase of transformation with Aston Martin.

“I’m just enjoying myself during this part of my career. I still feel fast, and I feel motivated, and I’m enjoying with the team, the progress, the good things, but also the bad things, we try to learn from those,” said Alonso.

“Soon we will start working with great people that I admire, like [F1 design guru] Adrian Newey, Enrico [Cardile] is joining the team as well soon [as F1 chief technical officer], Andy Cowell.

“So people that I raced against, and now I have the possibility to work alongside them and learn from them. It’s a good moment of my life and my career and I’m enjoying every day.”